When you ask someone “How was your flight?” you never expect to hear too many positive things. At best, you’ll get an “Oh, fine,” but often the question will spark a detailed list of everything that went wrong. And yet, only about one out of every 43,000 air travelers in the U.S. ever file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. And airlines aren’t exactly leaping at the chance to tell customers how to file this sort of complaint. [More]
faa
FAA: There Are Now More Drones Registered Than Piloted Aircraft
By 2.8.16
What’s that in the sky — is it a bird? A plane? No, it’s a swarm of drones, blacking out the sun as they rise as one to push other aircraft out of the sky. At least, that’s the vision we got after the Federal Aviation Administration announced that drone registrations have now outstripped registrations for piloted aircraft. [More]
American Airlines Should Not Have Told Family They Couldn’t Use FAA-Approved Safety Harness
By 1.11.16 — Updated: 5.23.17
Consumerist reader John and his wife were traveling with their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter on an American Airlines flight from New York to San Diego, and they’d brought along a special device to help keep their toddler safe, a CARES (Child Aviation Safety Restraint System) harness. Despite the fact that it’s approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, John says the flight’s pilot refused to take off while his daughter was using it in her seat. [More]
Drone Owners Must Register Their Unmanned Aircraft Starting Dec. 21
By 12.14.15
Nearly a month after a task force recommended the Federal Aviation Administration require drone hobbyists to register their unmanned aircraft, the agency has finally solidified a process to keep tabs on the flying devices. [More]
FAA Task Force Recommends Requiring Registration For All Drones
By 11.23.15
A task force directed by the Federal Aviation Administration to recommend guidelines for drone operators has announced the results of its work, issuing a report today that covers which unmanned aircraft will need to be registered before taking to the skies. [More]
FAA: You Don’t Need To Pay Someone To Register Your Drone
By 11.16.15
When you go to register your car, you don’t shop around at different companies and then pay one to perform that service. The Federal Aviation Administration wants you to know you don’t have to fork over cash to register your drones, either. [More]
Feds Investigating After 20 Laser Strikes Aimed At Aircraft Reported Across The U.S. In One Night
By 11.12.15
Federal investigators have been kept busy this year investigating laser strikes at the nation’s airports, but in just one night, their workload jumped by quite a bit: more than 20 laser incidents were reported overnight between Wednesday at Thursday, at airports across the country. [More]
Walmart Asks The FAA For Permission To Test Drones For Home Delivery, Curbside Grocery Pickups
By 10.26.15
Amazon isn’t the only retailer on the market that wants to get into the drone delivery game: Walmart filed paperwork with the Federal Aviation Administration today asking permission to test drones outside for home delivery, curbside pick-up and duties around the warehouse and parking lots. [More]
FAA Investigating Report Of Drone Flying Near Approach Path Of JetBlue Flight In The Process Of Landing
By 9.14.15
In another incident causing an anti-drone ripple in the airline industry, a JetBlue flight in the midst of landing in Fort Lauderdale this morning reported seeing an unmanned aircraft flying near its flight path. [More]
Pilot Flying As An American Airlines Passenger Caught On Video Texting During Takeoff
By 9.4.15
Where there are rules, there will inevitably be people who break them. But it’s still surprising when someone who’s tasked with enforcing those rules is instead doing exactly what they usually tell others not to do. That was the case for a man flying on American Airlines recently, who filmed an airline pilot traveling as a passenger on a flight from Charlotte to Tampa texting on his cellphone during takeoff. [More]
FAA: Software Upgrade Could Be Behind Technical Glitch That Snarled Hundreds Of Flights Over The Weekend
By 8.17.15
If you had a terrible time trying to fly somewhere in the U.S. this past weekend, you’re not alone: hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled along the East Coast on Saturday before travel returned to a more normal pace on Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration says the technical problem at a Virginia air traffic control center that caused the travel issues could be linked to a software upgrade at the facility. [More]
New Legislation Would Cap Checked-Baggage Fees At $4.50
By 7.23.15
If you go to the airport today and check any bags, there’s a good chance you’re going to pay around $25 per checked bag for the luxury of not having to lug your stuff around and cram it under the seat in front of you. A recently introduced bill in the House of Representatives would not only put a cap on checked-baggage charges, but would slash the current level to $4.50/bag. [More]
FAA Hits SkyWest With Speed, Altitude Restrictions After A Plane Allegedly Stalled During Descent
By 7.15.15
SkyWest Airlines will have to adjust the speed and altitude of some of its aircraft, after the Federal Aviation Administration says one of the airline’s planes stalled during descent last April. [More]
Delta, Southwest Flights Nearly Collide On Chicago Runway, FAA Investigating
By 6.18.15
The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation into a near collision between two planes taking off from Chicago’s Midway Airport at the same time earlier this week. [More]
FAA Steps Up Oversight Of United Airlines, Citing Violations Of Pilot Qualifications & Scheduling Issues
By 4.10.15
The Federal Aviation Administration has been fixing its baleful stare on United Airlines for the last two months, after writing in a letter to the airline pointing out potential risks due to alleged repeated violations of mandatory pilot qualification and scheduling requirements. [More]
FAA Clears Amazon To Start Testing Delivery Drone Flights
By 3.20.15
Amazon is getting one step closer to the company’s dream of delivering packages by air, as the Federal Aviation Administration has given the company the go-ahead to start testing drones outside. [More]
Southwest Gets OK To Continue Flying 128 Planes That Missed Inspections
By 2.25.15
Yesterday afternoon, Southwest Airlines had to cancel dozens of flights after learning that one-fifth of its entire fleet was overdue for a necessary maintenance check. The airline was to have grounded 128 planes pending inspection, but has reached a deal with the Federal Aviation Administration that will allow those jets to continue flying. [More]
FAA Allowing Companies To Start Claiming Territory On The Moon
By 2.4.15
As if splashing corporate names and logos all over our stadiums, arenas and every billboard on every highway and byway wasn’t enough, the Federal Aviation Administration says it’s allowing companies to start claiming landing and launching spots… on the moon. [More]
